System and method for personal identification number distribution and delivery

• US 7,676,030 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EWI Holdings Inc. (Albertsons Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EWI Holdings Inc. (Albertsons Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Paschini, Miles, Rose, Marshall, New, Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/007,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20050123112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.12, 379/90.01, 379/93.17, 379/93.25, 379/114.9, 379/114.2, 379/114.15, 379/114.17, 37914406-14408, 705/35, 705/40, 705/42, 705/44, 705/45, 705/14, 221/24, 221/155, 221/90, 235/381, 235/353
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/201 automatic recharging with predetermined amount at threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/12 using calling, telephone credit/debit cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/22 : with automatic recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection the account is recharged automatically
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/24 : with on-line recharging of an account or card, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 : Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 : Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 : Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 : using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining a personal identification number (PIN) from a client terminal is disclosed herein. The method includes storing, at the client terminal, PINs for plural prepaid services. The method also includes receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with a desired prepaid service corresponding to one of the plural prepaid services. A PIN request is then sent, from the client terminal, to a server when less than a predefined number of PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are stored at the client terminal. In response, one or more PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are received at the client terminal. The method further includes dispensing at least one PIN corresponding to the desired prepaid service from the client terminal.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining a personal identification number (PIN) from a client terminal, comprising:

storing, at the client terminal, PINs for plural prepaid services;

receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with a desired prepaid service;

sending, from the client terminal, a PIN request to a server when the desired prepaid service does not correspond to one of the plural prepaid services;

receiving, at the client terminal, at least a requested PIN associated with the desired prepaid service wherein the requested PIN is received on-demand in response to the PIN request; and

dispensing the requested PIN from the client terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with an additional desired prepaid service corresponding to one of the plural prepaid services;

sending, from the client terminal, another PIN request to the server when less than a predefined number of PINs associated with the additional desired prepaid service are stored at the client terminal; and

receiving, at the client terminal, an additional requested PIN associated with the additional desired prepaid service.

3. The method of claim 2 further including receiving and storing, at the client terminal and in response to the another PIN request, a set of PINs associated with the additional desired prepaid service.

4. The method of claim 1 further including:

receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with an additional desired prepaid service corresponding to one of the plural prepaid services; and

dispensing, from the client terminal, at least one PIN associated with the additional desired prepaid service which is stored at the client terminal.

5. The method of claim 4 further including generating, at the client terminal, an update record corresponding to dispensing of the at least one PIN.

6. The method of claim 5 further including uploading the update record to the server during communicating between the client terminal and the server.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said plural prepaid services is defined by a stock-keeping unit (SKU).

8. A client terminal, comprising:

a processor;

a first interface disposed to receive a first request for a PIN associated with a first desired prepaid service and a second request for a PIN associated with a second desired prepaid service;

memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions of an application program executed by the processor and caching at least a first requested PIN associated with the first desired prepaid service;

a dispensing mechanism through which is dispensed, under the control of the application program, the first requested PIN in response to the first request for a PIN; and

a second interface through which is transmitted, to a server, a PIN request generated by the application program when the application program determines that at least one PIN associated with the second desired prepaid service is not cached within the memory;

wherein the dispensing mechanism is further configured to dispense, under the control of the application program and in substantially real time relative to receipt of the second request for a PIN, a second requested PIN associated with the second desired prepaid service wherein the second requested PIN is received through the second interface.

9. The client terminal of claim 8 wherein a third request for a PIN associated with a third desired prepaid service is received through the first interface and wherein the application program generates, when less than a plural number of PINs associated with the third desired prepaid service are cached within the memory, another PIN request for transmission to the server through the second interface.

10. The client terminal of claim 9 wherein a third requested PIN associated with the third desired prepaid service is received through the second interface.

11. The client terminal of claim 9 wherein a set of PINs associated with the third desired prepaid service is, in response to the another PIN request, received through the second interface and cached within the memory.

12. The client terminal of claim 11 wherein a fourth request for a PIN associated with the third desired prepaid service is received through the first interface and wherein at least one PIN associated with the third desired prepaid service is included within the set of PINs and dispensed by the dispensing mechanism under the control of the application program.

13. The client terminal of claim 12 wherein an update record corresponding to dispensing of the first requested PIN is generated by the application program.

14. The client terminal of claim 13 wherein the update record is, under the control of the application program, uploaded to the server during a communication session between the client terminal and the server.

15. The client terminal of claim 8 wherein each of said plural prepaid services is defined by a stock-keeping unit (SKU).

16. A system for delivering personal identification numbers (PINs) to client terminals, the system comprising:

a server containing a processor and memory operatively coupled to the processor; and

a database in communication with the server, the database containing;

a plurality of sets of PINs associated with a corresponding plurality of prepaid services, and

a set of records wherein each of the records includes information identifying ones of said plurality of prepaid services for which one of the client terminals is disposed to store plural PINs;

wherein the processor executes instructions stored in the memory for sending, to a first of the client terminals from which a PIN request corresponding to one of the plurality of prepaid services is received, at least one PIN associated with the one of the plurality of prepaid services wherein the at least one PIN is sent in substantially real time relative to receipt of the PIN request.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the server is configured to send multiple other PINs associated with the one of the prepaid services to the first of the client terminals in response to the PIN request.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein each said record includes an indication of a maximum number of PINs capable of being stored at one of the client terminals with respect to each of said plurality of prepaid services.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the server receives an update record from the first of the client terminals indicative of the dispensing of the at least one PIN from the first of the client terminals.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein each of said plurality of prepaid services is defined by a SKU.

21. A method of obtaining a personal identification number (PIN) from a client terminal, comprising:

storing, at the client terminal, PINs for plural prepaid services;

receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with a desired prepaid service corresponding to one of the plural prepaid services;

sending, from the client terminal, a PIN request to a server when less than a predefined number of PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are stored at the client terminal;

receiving, at the client terminal and in response to the PIN request, one or more PINs associated with the desired prepaid service;

dispensing at least one PIN corresponding to the desired prepaid service from the client terminal.

22. The method of claim 21 further including:

receiving, at the client terminal, an additional request for a PIN associated with an additional desired prepaid service;

sending, from the client terminal, an additional PIN request to the server when the additional desired prepaid service does not correspond to one of the plural prepaid services;

receiving, at the client terminal, an additional requested PIN associated with the additional desired prepaid service; and

dispensing the additional requested PIN from the client terminal.

23. The method of claim 21 further including receiving and storing, at the client terminal and in response to the PIN request, a set of PINs associated with the desired prepaid service so as to maintain the predefined number of PINs associated with the desired prepaid service at the client terminal.